It’s taken time to share this little arm sequence known as CIRCLE OF JOY. Not because of the filming of this movement pattern but rather the subject matter. Joy! For me, this topic has been a life long journey of discovery. What is Joy?
Like the majority of us, I have had my fair share of generational & family dysfunction, adolescent trauma & grief, physical injuries & pain, betrayal, loss, and the list goes on and on. I also understand that relatively speaking, I have had a very privileged life. So to propose that Joy can exist even within the realm of all human experiences and conditions feels really vulnerable.
To paraphrase Brené Brown Ph.D., LMSW who researches, speaks, and writes about issues of shame, vulnerability, and wholehearted living “joy is one of the most difficult feelings for us to allow ourselves to feel because it automatically makes us incredibly vulnerable.” And I would add (though I bet her research clearly shows) that if I allow myself to feel joy, I am somehow dismissing or denying the truth and depth of my pain when all I crave is for someone to acknowledge that it is/was real.
Given yet another opportunity to “walk my talk,” the other evening my back locked up (spasmed) from an adventurous day of using my body in an effortful way. By nightfall, I could barely move. As my daughter tucked me into bed with an ice-pack and lovingly rubbed my feet, I said aloud to her (but mostly to myself)… “Even though I feel really crappy right now and people are expecting me to teach Yoga tomorrow morning, there is so much I am grateful for in this moment….” As I began to list off to her what I was grateful for, my body began to soften into the comfort of my bed and I could feel the tenderness and warmth of my daughter’s hands upon my feet. Most of my concerns and what if’s regarding my back and my obligations began to ease and I was able to acknowledge her caring presence and allow the depth of our connection to comfort my pain. At that moment, I experienced Joy… or at least my sense of it.
So the intention of this mini Vinyasa (“to place in a special way”) is to acknowledge where we are currently; whether it’s our emotional & physical landscape and/or our concerns regarding external circumstances while inviting spaciousness into our bodies, through the flow of our breath, so that we can experience, alongside our tension and/or pain, gratitude which may then expand into feelings of Joy.
Here is a guided practice of Circle Of Joy.
May it be of benefit!
BreathWorks With Joy 